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Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation (often abbreviated to TNG) was the second live-action Star Trek TV series, set in the 24th century. Like its predecessor, it was created by Gene Roddenberry. Produced at Paramount Pictures, it aired in first-run syndication (by Viacom in the US) from September 1987 to May 1994. *Main Title Theme (composed by Jerry Goldsmith) Summary Star Trek: The Next Generation moved the universe forward 75 years past the days of Kirk and Spock. The series depicted a new age in which the Klingons were allies of the Federation; new threats included the Ferengi (although they were later used more for comic relief), the Cardassians, and the Borg. Where Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS) was clearly made in the 1960s, the first few seasons of The Next Generation show all the markings of a 1980s product, complete with Spandex uniforms. As with the original Star Trek, TNG was still very much about exploration, 'going where no man has gone before'. Similarly, the show centered around the adventures of the crew of a starship, namely the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)]]. Despite the apparent similarities with the original series, the creators of TNG were adamant about creating a bold, independent vision of the future. The public did not widely accept the show on its own terms until the airing of The Best of Both Worlds, which marked a shift towards higher drama, serious plotlines, and a less episodic nature. This helped pave the way for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and its two-year-long Dominion War arc as well as the third and fourth seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise. Star Trek: Voyager capitalized on the heightened crew relationships and familial bonds first seen on The Next Generation. TNG on the other hand balanced political intrigue, soaplike character development, and series-long plot threads with a rerun-friendly format. As with the original Star Trek, TNG's special effects utilized miniatures, but due to great advancements in computerized effects and opticals, the show leaped ahead of its predecessor in terms of quality effects. This series marked the greatest surge in Star Trek's mainstream popularity, and paved the way for the three later televised Trek shows. Main Cast *Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard *Jonathan Frakes as William Riker *LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge *Denise Crosby as Natasha Yar (1987-1988) *Michael Dorn as Worf *Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher (1987-1988, 1989-1994) *Diana Muldaur as Katherine Pulaski (1988-1989) *Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi *Brent Spiner as Data *Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher (1987-1990) Production Crew * Gene Roddenberry - Creator, Executive Producer, Producer * Michael Piller - Executive Producer, Writer * Rick Berman - Executive Producer, Writer * Jeri Taylor - Executive Producer, Writer * Maurice Hurley - Co-Executive Producer, Writer * Ronald D. Moore - Producer, Writer * Brannon Braga - Co-Producer, Writer * Joe Menosky - Co-Producer, Writer * René Echevarria - Executive Story Editor, Writer * Rick Sternbach - Senior Illustrator/Designer * Andrew Probert - Senior Consulting Illustrator Episode List Season 1 TNG Season 1, 26 episodes: Season 2 TNG Season 2, 22 episodes: Season 3 TNG Season 3, 26 episodes: Season 4 TNG Season 4, 26 episodes: Season 5 TNG Season 5, 26 episodes: Season 6 TNG Season 6, 26 episodes: Season 7 TNG Season 7, 26 episodes: Behind the Scenes Andrew Probert was first hired by Gene Roddenberry in 1978. However, not until 1986, when Roddenberry was preparing to launch a new show, entitled Star Trek: The Next Generation, did he call upon Probert to take a lead design role. Everything had to be rethought, imagined, planned and redesigned. As the vision evolved in the designers' minds, the evolution was charted in successive sketches and paintings, some of which in elaborate and perfect detail are shown here. They are unique, one-of-a-kind originals. Among Probert's creation, in addition to the new Enterprise starship and many of its interiors including the main bridge, are many other featured spacecraft. The Ferengi cruiser, and even the Ferengi species are a Probert design. Related topics *TNG Season 1 performers *TNG Season 2 performers *TNG Season 3 performers *TNG Season 4 performers *TNG Season 5 performers *TNG Season 6 performers *TNG Season 7 performers *TNG recurring characters *TNG recurring character appearances *Main character crossover appearances *TNG directors *Composers External Links * * Star Trek: Next Generation de:Star Trek: The Next Generation fr:Star Trek: The Next Generation nl:Star Trek: The Next Generation sv:Star Trek: The Next Generation